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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: current · lean · pitcher · patient · rest · safe · bear · wax

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lean — thin
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bear — the animal
  14. current — of water
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. current — electric
  17. rest — a break
  18. current — happening now
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wax — to grow
  24. pitcher — a jug

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