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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: toast · patient · rule · fine · deal · wave · fan · ground

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. toast — bread
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rule — a law
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ground — a position
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rule — government
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fine — high quality
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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