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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.

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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: wake · mate · pitch · patient · mine · bark · board · safe

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pitch — completely
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — a trail
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. board — to get on
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. board — a committee
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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