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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — the earth
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. tear — from crying
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. last — finally
  8. stock — shares
  9. tear — to rip
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. last — to go on
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ground — crushed
  17. last — final
  18. staff — a stick
  19. ground — a position
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stock — goods
  22. tear — from crying
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wound — an injury

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