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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 · band · toast · date · race · mug · patient · can

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. band — a ring
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mug — a cup
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mug — a face
  15. toast — bread
  16. race — a contest
  17. date — the fruit
  18. mug — to rob
  19. band — a music group
  20. race — humankind
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. can — a tin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. toast — the most admired

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