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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: mouse · safe · squash · ground · date · arm · lean · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ground — a position
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — to bend
  18. squash — to crush
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. squash — the sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lean — thin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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