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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: foot · safe · ruler · tube · lean · game · patient · capital

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — thin
  8. game — a match
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. capital — money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. foot — a measure
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. tube — the underground
  18. capital — a city
  19. game — wild animals
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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