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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 120 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: patient · chair · rash · can · saw · cue · safe · nail

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — a series
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cue — a hint
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. can — a tin
  18. chair — a leader
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chair — a professorship

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