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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 · coach · chest · craft · patient · mark · fan · ground

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chest — a box
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chest — of your body
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mark — a trace
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chest — of your body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ground — a position
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. craft — boats
  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