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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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Word bank
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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: rush · patient · pass · fan · tube · perch · key · safe

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rush — hurry
  3. key — for a lock
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. key — the most important part
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. perch — the fish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pass — a permit
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — a container
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — in music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. tube — the underground
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rush — to hurry

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