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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cap — a hat
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cap — of ice
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wind — moving air
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cap — a lid
  24. arm — part of the body

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