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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: last · spell · firm · deal · wound · patient · jam · cap

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. last — finally
  3. spell — letters
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. deal — to handle
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. last — to go on
  11. wound — an injury
  12. spell — magic
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — steady
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. firm — decided
  21. last — final
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — of ice
  24. firm — a company

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