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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: suit · snap · land · patient · jam · chip · pass · tube

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. land — ground
  3. snap — to click
  4. suit — clothes
  5. land — a country
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chip — for betting
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tube — a container
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — to come down

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