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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: safe · patient · firm · nail · lean · bay · pop · ball

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pop — soda
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. firm — steady
  8. pop — music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pop — to visit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. firm — decided
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. firm — a company
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lean — thin

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