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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 120 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: rest · racket · tear · safe · patient · content · current · stand

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. content — the amount
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rest — a break
  6. current — happening now
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rest — what's left
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. tear — to rip
  19. tear — from crying
  20. content — happy
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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