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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: key · safe · suit · patient · cabinet · dip · tube · stick

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — to fit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. dip — to sink
  9. suit — in cards
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. key — the most important part
  15. tube — the underground
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tube — a container
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cabinet — ministers

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