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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. rash — hasty
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rash — a series
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. root — of a word
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — the cause
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. saw — the tool
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. saw — the tool
  18. kid — child
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kid — to tease
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. root — of a plant

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