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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: lean · land · can · wave · safe · patient · cue · date

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. cue — a hint
  8. land — ground
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. can — to be able to
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. cue — for pool

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