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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: tube · stand · saw · patient · squash · mine · present · safe

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. present — a gift
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. tube — a container
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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