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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.

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: current · safe · patient · pitch · object · cell · game · dip

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  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. game — a match
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cell — in biology
  11. object — an aim
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pitch — completely
  17. current — of water
  18. object — to protest
  19. cell — a phone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. dip — to sink
  22. current — happening now
  23. game — wild animals
  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