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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. row — to paddle
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. land — to come down
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. row — a line
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. capital — a city
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. capital — money

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