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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · file · drill · plane · squash · patient · spring · safe

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. squash — to crush
  3. drill — the tool
  4. file — a tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. spring — of water
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. file — a line of people
  9. drill — a practice
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. spring — a coil
  12. file — a document
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. last — to go on
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — the season
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. squash — the sport
  21. plane — a tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. last — final

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