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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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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: safe · lash · content · suit · snap · bay · spring · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. content — happy
  6. spring — the season
  7. snap — to click
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — in cards
  15. content — the amount
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spring — of water
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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