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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. sharp — clever
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. hand — help
  6. bound — obliged
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. toast — bread
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. mug — to rob
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bound — tied together
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a line
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bound — certain
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mug — a face
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. row — to paddle

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