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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: chair · bulb · firm · jam · ball · nail · patient · rush

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ball — a dance
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. firm — decided
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a great time
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rush — hurry
  24. chair — a professorship

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