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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: court · safe · rash · cap · patient · wave · jam · club

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. cap — a lid
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. court — for sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. cap — of ice
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. court — of law
  9. rash — a series
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. club — a group
  21. court — of a king
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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