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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · ball · lean · sharp · stick · date · pass · safe

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. date — the fruit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. sharp — exactly

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