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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: ball · straw · can · safe · ground · patient · suit · march

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. can — to be able to
  3. ball — a great time
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. march — the month
  9. ground — the earth
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — crushed
  16. can — a tin
  17. march — the month
  18. ground — a position
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. march — music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. can — a tin

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