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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: safe · wind · bat · root · saw · bore · mouse · patient

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bore — to drill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wind — moving air
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a word
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bat — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bat — in an idiom

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