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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mark · spring · cap · patient · racket · mine · net · safe

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. spring — a coil
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. net — in sport
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. cap — a hat
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. spring — the season
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spring — of water
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mark — a trace
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. net — after costs
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. net — for catching
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  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