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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: toast · firm · patient · sharp · rush · chip · object · jam

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. rush — hurry
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. firm — a company
  6. chip — for betting
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chip — to eat
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. firm — decided
  15. object — to protest
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. toast — bread
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. firm — steady
  24. rush — to hurry

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