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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: fine · lean · safe · cabinet · file · shower · track · patient

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lean — thin
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lean — to bend
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. track — a song
  12. file — a document
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. track — a path
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fine — all right
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. shower — to wash
  21. file — a tool
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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