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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. capital — money
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. plane — a tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. bore — to tire
  24. patient — a sick person

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