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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
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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: bore · file · patient · bay · cap · tube · fan · lash

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. file — a document
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. cap — a hat
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. tube — the underground
  11. file — a tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bore — to drill
  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