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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: land · pit · ball · patient · bay · safe · prune · rock

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. ball — a round shape
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. land — ground
  18. rock — a stone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. land — a country
  21. ball — a great time
  22. land — to come down
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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