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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · last · date · fan · patient · spell · jam · race

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. race — the arms race
  3. spell — a short time
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. race — humankind
  7. last — finally
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. last — final
  11. spell — magic
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. firm — steady
  14. last — to go on
  15. date — the fruit
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spell — letters
  18. race — a contest
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. fan — a supporter

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