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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · lash · nail · wake · lean · swing · squash · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — thin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. squash — to crush
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wake — a trail
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. swing — to play on

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