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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.

Make a worksheet

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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wind — moving air
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. content — the amount
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cap — a hat
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. mug — a face
  21. cap — a lid
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. safe — a strongbox

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