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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. firm — decided
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. firm — steady
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — rain
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cold — an illness
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cold — not warm
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — to wash

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