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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
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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: wake · board · jam · root · patient · rule · spring · pass

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. board — a committee
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. root — the cause
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. board — to get on
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spring — the season
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rule — government
  19. root — of a word
  20. pass — a permit
  21. root — of a plant
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spring — of water
  24. rule — a law

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