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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 120 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 · nail · pitcher · net · safe · pitch · stick · bank

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. net — for catching
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pitch — completely
  19. net — after costs
  20. bank — of a river
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. net — in sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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