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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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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cold — an illness
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. cold — not warm
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. patient — a sick person

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