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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. object — a thing
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. content — the amount
  9. cue — for pool
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — in control
  12. content — happy
  13. charge — a price
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — electricity
  17. cue — a hint
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. fork — in a road
  24. patient — a sick person

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