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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wake — a trail
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — a permit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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