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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mine — for digging
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. chest — a box
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. mate — a friend
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. safe — a strongbox

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