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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.

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: ground · safe · patient · stand · drill · band · net · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. band — a ring
  4. ground — crushed
  5. squash — to crush
  6. net — for catching
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ground — the earth
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — a position
  15. net — in sport
  16. drill — a practice
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. band — a music group
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — after costs
  24. squash — the 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