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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.

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: bulb · patient · fan · coach · plane · fork · hide · mine

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — a tool
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mine — for digging
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fan — a supporter

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