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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: mine · pitch · ruler · dip · patient · hand · spring · jam

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. hand — help
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pitch — completely
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — of water
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — a coil
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hand — in cards
  23. dip — to sink
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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