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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: spring · stand · spell · mark · scale · patient · stick · jam

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. scale — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spring — the season
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — magic
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spell — letters
  15. scale — size or range
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. spring — of water
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. spell — a short time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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