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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 · patient · face · rule · clip · mouse · rest · mug

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mug — to rob
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. rule — government
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. clip — for paper
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. clip — a video
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. clip — to cut

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