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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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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: board · fall · bear · patient · court · perch · safe · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fall — the season
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. court — of a king
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. court — of law
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. board — to get on
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. court — for sport
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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