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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. suit — to fit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. suit — clothes
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rock — a stone
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. foot — a measure
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wound — an injury
  13. tube — the underground
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rock — music
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wound — an injury
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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