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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: straw · saw · fine · patient · chip · dip · jam · leaves

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fine — high quality
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fine — all right
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — to sink

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