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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: tube · staff · patient · cold · safe · mine · object · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. staff — employees
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — an aim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. object — to protest
  14. cold — an illness
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. object — a thing
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. tube — the underground
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. staff — employees
  24. mine — an explosive

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