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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stem — to come from
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wind — moving air
  8. firm — decided
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mark — a grade
  16. firm — a company
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wind — moving air
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. straw — dry grass

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