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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: safe · suit · mark · root · board · patient · chip · court

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. court — of a king
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — for sport
  6. chip — for betting
  7. board — to get on
  8. mark — a grade
  9. suit — clothes
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. court — of law
  15. root — the cause
  16. board — a committee
  17. root — of a word
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chip — to eat
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. root — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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