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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. swing — in golf
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fall — the season
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bear — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pit — a hole
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. fall — to drop
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. swing — music
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bear — the animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cap — of ice
  24. safe — out of danger

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