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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — a company
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — steady
  15. fall — the season
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. club — for golf
  18. game — a match
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fall — to drop
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — a kind of play

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