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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 120 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
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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: patient · march · safe · kick · dip · game · fine · band

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. band — a ring
  7. dip — to sink
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. game — wild animals
  10. march — music
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kick — in football
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. march — the month
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. game — a match
  20. fine — high quality
  21. band — a music group
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. kick — a thrill

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