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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 116 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 · hand · snap · pit · rock · patient

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. hand — help
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pit — in a race
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hand — in cards
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. snap — to click
  18. rock — music

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