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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.

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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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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 · club · safe · lean · track · snap · swing · ground

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ground — the earth
  8. swing — music
  9. lean — thin
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. ground — a position
  14. track — a path
  15. club — for golf
  16. snap — to click
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. track — a song
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lean — to bend
  21. swing — in golf
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ground — crushed

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