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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: lean · jam · ground · can · suit · chair · rule · patient

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. can — a tin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — clothes
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. lean — to bend
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. ground — crushed
  16. can — a tin
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lean — thin
  21. rule — a law
  22. ground — the earth
  23. chair — a leader
  24. rule — government

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