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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. last — finally
  3. content — the amount
  4. firm — a company
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cap — of ice
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bear — the animal
  10. content — happy
  11. last — to go on
  12. firm — decided
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. firm — steady
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. last — final
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bear — the animal
  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