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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 124 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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rule — government
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. rule — a law
  24. patient — a sick person

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