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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · pass · safe · firm · patient · drill

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — decided
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. firm — steady
  9. drill — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. drill — army training
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — government
  18. pass — to spend time

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