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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: patient · lash · swing · squash · safe · roll · last · cabinet

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — final
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. last — to go on
  15. squash — to crush
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a list
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. roll — a cake
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. swing — to play on
  24. safe — out of danger

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