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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: band · plane · fan · patient · ground · safe · cap · saw

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ground — the earth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. band — a ring
  12. cap — a lid
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ground — a position
  16. saw — the tool
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cap — a hat
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. safe — out of danger

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