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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. band — a music group
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. tear — from crying
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. tear — to rip
  13. track — a song
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. track — a path
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a ring
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tear — from crying
  23. track — to keep track
  24. drill — the tool

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