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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: straw · hand · game · patient · can · safe · suit · calf

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. game — a match
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. can — a tin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. game — wild animals
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. hand — in cards
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — clothes
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — help
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — to be able to

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