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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. roll — a list
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ball — a great time
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. drill — army training
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — a hint
  22. drill — a practice
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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