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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
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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: rush · staff · fan · ball · fine · safe · rest · patient

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rest — a break
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rest — what's left
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ball — a great time
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fan — a supporter
  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