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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: fall · mark · safe · leaves · patient · roll · bear · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mate — a friend
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fall — to drop
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. roll — a list
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mark — a trace
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fall — the season
  18. roll — a cake
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. safe — out of danger

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