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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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · hide · safe · pit · straw · patient · fan · season

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. season — in sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. track — to keep track
  20. season — of the year
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. hide — to keep secret

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