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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: fan · hand · patient · perch · wave · safe · board · sharp

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. hand — in cards
  3. sharp — clever
  4. perch — the fish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. hand — help
  12. board — to get on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. board — a committee
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. perch — for a bird

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