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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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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: safe · chair · racket · bowl · band · lean · patient · object

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. band — a ring
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — thin
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chair — a leader
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lean — to bend
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. object — an aim
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chair — a professorship

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