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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wound — an injury
  16. can — a tin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. can — to be able to
  22. snap — to click
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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