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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: rash · swing · hide · patient · mate · field · safe · wind

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mate — to breed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rash — a series
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. field — for sport
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mate — a partner
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. field — farmland
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rash — hasty
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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