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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: patient · bowl · date · safe · firm · suit · staff · wake

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — a trail
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. staff — employees
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. firm — a company
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — to fit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. staff — a stick
  17. suit — in cards
  18. firm — steady
  19. staff — employees
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. patient — a sick person

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