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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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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: deal · pit · firm · key · lie · roll · safe · patient

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. roll — a cake
  7. key — for a lock
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — a company
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pit — in a race
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. roll — a list
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. lie — to recline
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — to handle

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