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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · staff · mine · bear · ball · patient · hide · track

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. staff — a stick
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. staff — employees
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ball — a great time
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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