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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: staff · ball · cap · plane · content · mouse · jam · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cap — a lid
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cap — a hat
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. content — happy
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. staff — employees
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a dance
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. staff — employees
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. content — the amount

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