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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · object · game · patient · band · safe · lie · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a ring
  3. rest — a break
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a match
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lie — to recline
  18. object — an aim
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. game — wild animals
  23. object — to protest
  24. rest — what's left

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