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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: drill · staff · shower · safe · charge · pop · squash · patient

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. staff — a stick
  6. charge — a price
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. shower — to wash
  10. charge — electricity
  11. drill — army training
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. shower — rain
  15. staff — employees
  16. drill — the tool
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — in control
  19. drill — a practice
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. staff — employees
  22. pop — music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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