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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 120 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: face · bound · kick · patient · safe · fan · board · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hand — help
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. face — part of the head
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bound — obliged
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. board — a committee
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bound — certain
  17. board — to get on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. kick — in football
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bound — tied together

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