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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 120 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: kick · fan · arm · trunk · net · deal · patient · stand

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — to bear
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. kick — in football
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — to handle
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. trunk — of a tree

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