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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · pass · rock · patient · court · hide · ball · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. present — there
  3. court — for sport
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. present — a gift
  8. court — of law
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ball — a great time
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. court — of a king
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — a stone
  21. present — the time now
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. safe — out of danger

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