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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: can · bear · jam · saw · last · patient · mug · bowl

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. last — to go on
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bear — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mug — a face
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. mug — to rob
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bear — to put up with

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