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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: bear · capital · patient · dip · suit · chip · jam · wax

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bear — the animal
  10. capital — money
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. capital — a city
  15. suit — to fit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. chip — for betting

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