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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bank · patient · coach · tube · pound · firm · spring

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bank — for money
  4. spring — the season
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — decided
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spring — a coil
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bank — for money
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. firm — steady
  18. bank — of a river
  19. firm — a company
  20. spring — of water
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pound — a weight

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