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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: jam · patient · row · leaves · dip · suit · stick · mug

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mug — a face
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. suit — clothes
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. dip — to sink
  8. row — a line
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. row — to paddle
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mug — to rob
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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