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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 116 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — there
  5. bore — to tire
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. staff — employees
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fork — in a road
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. present — a gift
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. present — the time now
  23. staff — employees
  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