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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bass — the fish
  10. kid — child
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — hurry
  15. kid — to tease
  16. wound — an injury
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bass — low music
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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