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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 120 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. saw — the tool
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. last — final
  12. saw — the tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — steady
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. firm — decided
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. prune — to trim
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — a company
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. prune — to trim

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