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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 120 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: land · hide · safe · row · pass · nail · patient · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — a permit
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. row — to paddle
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. land — ground
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. row — a line
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. land — to come down
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. land — a country
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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