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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: jam · patient · spring · bark · current · stand · can · bay

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. current — electric
  3. spring — of water
  4. can — a tin
  5. current — happening now
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. spring — a coil
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. can — to be able to
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. spring — the season
  22. can — a tin
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. current — of water

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