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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 116 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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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: patient · game · safe · club · wave · saw · deal · mine

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. club — for dancing
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. game — wild animals
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. saw — the tool
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. game — a match
  24. saw — the tool

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