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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: season · chip · cue · safe · patient · bass · net · snap

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cue — a signal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. net — in sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — for catching
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. net — after costs
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bass — the fish
  15. snap — to click
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. season — of the year
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. season — in sport

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