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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. content — happy
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. chip — for betting
  5. can — a tin
  6. swing — music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. track — a path
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. content — the amount
  12. spring — of water
  13. pop — soda
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. track — a song
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pop — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — a tin
  22. track — to keep track
  23. spring — the season
  24. can — to be able to

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