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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stem — to come from
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mate — to breed
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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