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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: mug · lie · deal · stem · patient · fork · jam · season

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stem — to come from
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. season — in sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mug — a cup
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. season — of the year
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lie — to recline

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