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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: safe · hide · mate · bulb · bat · face · fan · patient

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — to breed
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bat — the animal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. face — to confront
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fan — a supporter

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