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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
468
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 · swing · leaves · cabinet · patient · wake · ball · snap

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ball — a dance
  9. snap — to click
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. swing — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. swing — in golf
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. swing — to play on
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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