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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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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: firm · foot · patient · ruler · jam · snap · land · perch

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. land — a country
  5. firm — decided
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. land — to come down
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. firm — a company
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. firm — steady
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. perch — the fish
  21. land — ground
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. snap — to click

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