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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. track — a path
  3. bank — of a river
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bat — the animal
  9. land — ground
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. track — a song
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bat — in an idiom

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