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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bore — to drill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fine — all right
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. shower — rain
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. file — a tool
  22. bass — low music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bore — to tire

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