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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · bowl · bear · game · cabinet · patient · clip · date

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. clip — for paper
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. date — the fruit
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. game — a match
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. game — a kind of play

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