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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. staff — a stick
  4. can — a tin
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. stock — goods
  13. staff — employees
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. kid — child
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kid — to tease
  19. can — to be able to
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — shares

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