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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rash — a series
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — government
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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