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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: firm · club · patient · track · cabinet · content · kick · jam

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. content — happy
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. firm — steady
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. track — to keep track
  9. kick — in football
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. track — a path
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. firm — decided
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. track — a song
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. content — the amount
  24. kick — a thrill

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