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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: wind · rock · safe · patient · mine · charge · swing · craft

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. charge — a price
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rock — music
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rock — a stone
  13. craft — a skill
  14. charge — in control
  15. craft — boats
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wind — moving air
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mine — for digging
  22. swing — in golf
  23. wind — moving air
  24. swing — music

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