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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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. file — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pit — in a race
  12. file — a line of people
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. craft — boats
  20. pit — a hole
  21. file — a document
  22. craft — a skill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mouse — for a computer

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