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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
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 · fine · bat · lash · pop · bound · toast · safe

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. fine — high quality
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bound — obliged
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fine — all right
  12. bat — the animal
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pop — to visit
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bound — certain
  24. fine — a penalty

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