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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. staff — a stick
  3. spring — the season
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. charge — a price
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. staff — employees

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