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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. content — happy
  4. sharp — clever
  5. race — humankind
  6. mug — a face
  7. tear — to rip
  8. race — the arms race
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. content — the amount
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mug — a cup
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. race — a contest
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mug — to rob

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