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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rule — government
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rule — a law
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — the bottom

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