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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: swing · patient · saw · jam · cabinet · deal · object · lie

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. swing — in golf
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — to protest
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lie — to recline
  13. swing — music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. swing — to play on
  16. object — a thing
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. object — an aim
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. saw — the tool
  24. patient — a sick person

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