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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: pound · lie · rash · patient · saw · safe · root · ball

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. root — the cause
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a dance
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. root — of a plant
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — a series
  16. ball — a great time
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lie — to recline
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — of a word
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — on the skin

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