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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 116 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: board · fan · race · stick · shower · dip · patient · track

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — a song
  4. shower — rain
  5. board — to get on
  6. track — to keep track
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. race — humankind
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. race — a contest
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. track — a path
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. race — the arms race

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