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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. clip — for paper
  3. club — a group
  4. staff — employees
  5. club — for dancing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. club — for golf
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. clip — a video
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. clip — to cut
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pit — in a race
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pit — a hole
  24. staff — a stick

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