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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: pit · safe · hide · patient · fork · wound · fan · saw

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wound — an injury
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fork — in a road
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — to cool the air

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