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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: lean · fan · tear · patient · drill · mate · stand · sharp

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — the tool
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. tear — from crying
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. drill — army training
  9. lean — thin
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tear — to rip
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. sharp — clever
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mate — to breed
  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