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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mark — a grade
  6. file — a tool
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. file — a document
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. shower — rain
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — for money
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. file — a line of people
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — an untruth

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