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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. drill — a practice
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — decided
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hand — in cards
  7. ball — a dance
  8. drill — army training
  9. craft — boats
  10. firm — steady
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. drill — the tool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. ball — a great time
  17. scale — size or range
  18. firm — a company
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. scale — in music
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — a skill

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