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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. shower — rain
  4. hand — in cards
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bank — for money
  7. shower — to wash
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — a publisher
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bank — of a river
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — help
  18. press — newspapers
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. press — to push
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. lie — an untruth

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