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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: drill · jam · pitcher · club · patient · foot · bass · stem

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — a practice
  4. club — for golf
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. club — a group
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. drill — army training
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. drill — the tool
  20. club — for dancing
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pitcher — a jug

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