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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: game · patient · object · firm · face · safe · wax · hand

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. hand — help
  3. object — a thing
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. game — wild animals
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. firm — steady
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. object — to protest
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wax — to grow
  15. hand — in cards
  16. firm — decided
  17. face — part of the head
  18. object — an aim
  19. firm — a company
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — to point toward
  23. game — a match
  24. safe — out of danger

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