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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: mine · bark · chair · wound · chest · patient · bay · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. chest — a box
  3. mine — for digging
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chest — of your body
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bay — a horse colour

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