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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: patient · racket · bass · safe · pound · club · rock · lie

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — for golf
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bass — low music
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. club — a group
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rock — music
  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