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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: content · pass · wave · fan · roll · can · patient · dip

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. content — the amount
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. roll — a cake
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. roll — a list
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. content — happy
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. dip — to sink
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. content — videos and posts

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com