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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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Word bank
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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. scale — size or range
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mine — for digging
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. march — music
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. object — to protest
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. march — the month
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. object — a thing
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. march — the month
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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