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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — soda
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pop — music
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. key — for a lock
  16. game — wild animals
  17. key — the most important part
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. key — in music
  20. game — a match
  21. plane — a tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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