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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: patient · deal · pit · bulb · mark · jam · mouse · degree

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. degree — an amount
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mark — a trace

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