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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bank — for money
  4. content — the amount
  5. suit — clothes
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. swing — music
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bank — of a river
  21. swing — to play on
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bank — for money
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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