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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: clip · safe · track · court · fork · patient · tube · cabinet

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. track — to keep track
  5. clip — for paper
  6. court — of a king
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tube — a container
  10. track — a path
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. clip — a video
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — the underground
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. track — a song
  19. clip — to cut
  20. court — of law
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. court — for sport
  24. safe — a strongbox

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