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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. toast — bread
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. present — a gift
  10. snap — to click
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. sharp — clever
  16. present — the time now
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. present — there
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rash — hasty
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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