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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bore — to drill
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. root — the cause
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. file — a line of people
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — in music
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bore — to tire
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. file — a document
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. file — a tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. safe — out of danger

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