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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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Word bank
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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. land — a country
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. pass — a permit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. land — to come down
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cell — a phone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cell — in biology
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. row — to paddle
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. land — ground
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. vault — a safe
  24. row — a line

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