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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: rush · patient · trunk · nail · fan · wake · file · tube

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. file — a document
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rush — hurry
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. tube — a container
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wake — a trail
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. file — a tool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. file — a line of people
  24. tube — the underground

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