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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 116 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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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: saw · bear · bay · safe · kick · kid · patient · firm

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. firm — steady
  11. bear — the animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. firm — decided
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kid — to tease
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kid — child

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