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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. cap — a hat
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — of ice
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cap — a lid
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. court — for sport
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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