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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: shower · mug · lean · safe · key · patient · rash · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. key — the most important part
  3. staff — employees
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mug — a cup
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. key — in music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. shower — to wash
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rash — a series
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lean — thin
  23. mug — a face
  24. staff — employees

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