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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: hand · stand · safe · ball · bowl · charge · patient · pop

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. charge — a price
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ball — a dance
  8. hand — help
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pop — music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ball — a great time
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pop — to visit
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. charge — in control
  24. pop — soda

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