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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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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 · plane · ball · safe · bound · cue · ground · bass

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cue — a hint
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. cue — for pool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bass — low music
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. patient — a sick person

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