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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.

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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: calf · cabinet · ground · patient · safe · firm · wound · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. ground — crushed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. firm — a company
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. ground — the earth
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. firm — steady
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wound — an injury
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ground — a position
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — decided
  23. present — the time now
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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