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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. can — to be able to
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stem — to come from
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. can — a tin
  20. rash — a series
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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