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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: rush · jam · ball · cap · coach · object · stick · patient

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cap — a hat
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ball — a dance
  13. rush — hurry
  14. object — a thing
  15. cap — a lid
  16. object — an aim
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ball — a great time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cap — of ice

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