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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. file — a document
  4. lean — thin
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. present — a gift
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rock — music
  10. snap — to click
  11. present — there
  12. file — a tool
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. lean — to bend
  16. present — the time now
  17. file — a line of people
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. staff — employees
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. patient — a sick person
  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