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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.

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: charge · ball · clip · patient · bowl · object · foot · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. clip — a video
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. object — an aim
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. charge — in control
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. charge — a price
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. clip — to cut
  15. clip — for paper
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. charge — electricity
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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