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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
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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: cap · rest · current · plane · patient · safe · pitch · craft

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitch — completely
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — of water
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — a hat
  9. craft — a skill
  10. current — happening now
  11. cap — of ice
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rest — a break
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rest — what's left
  19. current — electric
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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