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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: rash · land · ground · fall · suit · chip · patient · jam

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. land — to come down
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rash — hasty
  8. fall — to drop
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rash — a series
  11. suit — in cards
  12. land — a country
  13. ground — the earth
  14. land — ground
  15. ground — a position
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. chip — to eat
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fall — to drop

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