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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · rash · rush · patient · wind · jam · spring · plane

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rash — a series
  5. spring — the season
  6. wind — moving air
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rash — hasty
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rush — hurry
  23. spring — of water
  24. jam — in traffic

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