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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: cue · jam · cap · patient · fine · safe · mine · chest

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cap — of ice
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cue — a hint
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fine — all right
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. chest — of your body
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cap — a lid
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cue — for pool

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