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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. dip — to sink
  4. spell — letters
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. drill — a practice
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rock — music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. spell — magic
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rash — hasty
  24. spell — a short time

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