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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. row — to paddle
  3. tube — a container
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lean — thin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stock — shares
  15. lean — to bend
  16. row — a line
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — hurry
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. row — a quarrel

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