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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 116 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: pop · safe · suit · wind · squash · chip · spell · patient

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wind — moving air
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pop — soda
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wind — moving air
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. spell — a short time
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — clothes
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. squash — to crush

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