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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 · patient · lie · racket · chip · bowl · chair · toast

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lie — to recline
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. toast — bread
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chip — for betting
  24. racket — a loud noise

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