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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: bank · safe · pop · present · patient · object · nail · rush

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. present — the time now
  5. pop — music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rush — hurry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. object — to protest
  17. pop — soda
  18. object — a thing
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pop — to visit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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