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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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Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mug — a face
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fine — high quality
  12. season — in sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. season — of the year
  16. fine — all right
  17. kid — child
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. kid — to tease

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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