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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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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 · spell · wave · land · craft · game · safe · pitcher

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. land — ground
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. craft — boats
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spell — letters
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. game — wild animals
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spell — magic
  22. craft — a skill
  23. game — a match
  24. spell — a short time

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