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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · patient · mine · safe · bear · coach · current · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mine — for digging
  24. current — electric

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