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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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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: patient · deal · fall · season · safe · row · drill · kick

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. row — to paddle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. kick — in football
  7. fall — to drop
  8. season — of the year
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. drill — the tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. drill — a practice
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. season — in sport
  20. deal — to handle
  21. drill — army training
  22. fall — the season
  23. row — a line
  24. patient — a sick person

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