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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · cap · roll · straw · jam · patient · safe · lash

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cap — a hat
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. cap — a lid
  14. roll — a cake
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cap — of ice
  20. roll — a list
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. jam — in traffic

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