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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: roll · safe · patient · racket · scale · charge · cold · board

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cold — an illness
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cold — not warm
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. charge — in control
  15. roll — a list
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. board — a committee
  18. charge — a price
  19. board — to get on
  20. scale — in music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cold — the Cold War

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