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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: rock · cabinet · safe · saw · suit · charge · patient · land

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rock — a stone
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. saw — the tool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. land — ground
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — in control
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. charge — a price
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. land — a country
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. land — to come down
  24. suit — clothes

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