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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: clip · bank · patient · can · bulb · jam · bay · ground

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ground — the earth
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. can — a tin
  12. clip — a video
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — a position
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bank — of a river
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. patient — a sick person

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