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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 120 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: racket · content · patient · spring · rule · rock · safe · snap

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. content — the amount
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spring — of water
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rock — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. snap — to click
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. spring — the season
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. racket — for tennis

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