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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · spell · cell · rash · current · safe · pound · scale

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cell — in biology
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — a phone
  12. scale — in music
  13. spell — magic
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — electric
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spell — a short time
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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