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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: row · bore · firm · pop · jam · patient · temple · press

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pop — to visit
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. firm — steady
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pop — music
  10. press — newspapers
  11. row — a line
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. row — to paddle
  16. press — to push
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. firm — a company
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. press — a publisher
  23. firm — decided
  24. pop — soda

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