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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: roll · patient · present · dip · jam · track · mouse · bound

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. track — a song
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. roll — a list
  6. present — there
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. present — the time now
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. present — a gift
  16. bound — obliged
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. jam — in traffic

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