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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. object — an aim
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — to protest
  15. mug — a face
  16. chest — of your body
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. object — a thing
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. kick — in football
  21. chest — a box
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bank — of a river
  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