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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: rush · bulb · pass · patient · straw · calf · safe · tear

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tear — to rip
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pass — a permit
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — of the leg

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