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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: field · bound · mine · mouse · patient · face · safe · firm

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. face — part of the head
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to confront
  7. firm — a company
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bound — obliged
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. firm — steady
  18. face — to point toward
  19. field — farmland
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. firm — decided
  22. field — a subject
  23. bound — certain
  24. field — for sport

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