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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: fan · patient · bay · plane · face · safe · hand · squash

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. face — to point toward
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hand — help
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. face — part of the head
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. face — to confront

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