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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: pit · track · jam · patient · mouse · bulb · bay · rock

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pit — a hole
  10. track — a song
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pit — in a race
  16. track — a path
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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