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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: fan · game · patient · foot · bank · face · wake · pound

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bank — of a river
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bank — for money
  11. face — to confront
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. game — a match
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wake — a trail
  24. face — part of the head

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