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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ball — a great time
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. mine — for digging
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ball — a dance

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