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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kid — child
  3. spell — magic
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — in a road
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — letters
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spell — a short time
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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