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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cue — for pool
  7. sharp — clever
  8. drill — army training
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rash — a series
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. drill — a practice
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. drill — the tool
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. sharp — with an edge

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