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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fall — to drop
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. fall — the season
  10. current — of water
  11. bat — the animal
  12. current — electric
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fall — to drop
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. current — happening now
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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