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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: kid · lie · patient · bear · safe · ball · pitch · wax

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. kid — child
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. pitch — completely
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bear — the animal

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