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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: club · pass · patient · spell · wake · mark · fan · calf

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. spell — magic
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. club — for golf
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spell — letters
  14. club — for dancing
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wake — a trail
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. club — a group
  24. pass — to succeed

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