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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: present · jam · deal · scale · rule · object · racket · patient

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. object — an aim
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. object — to protest
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rule — government
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — a gift
  13. rule — a law
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — to handle
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. object — a thing
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. scale — in music

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