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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. drill — army training
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. net — for catching
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. nail — for a hammer

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