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

Word bank: bore · present · hide · patient · cue · firm · stick · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — decided
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. firm — a company
  7. bore — to drill
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — steady
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. present — the time now
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cue — for pool
  15. present — a gift
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. present — there
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cue — a signal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bore — to tire
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. hide — animal skin

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