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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: mug · pop · foot · patient · toast · jam · season · mouse

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. pop — to visit
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pop — soda
  6. mug — a face
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. season — in sport
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mug — a cup
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. season — of the year
  13. pop — music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. season — to add flavour

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