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

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. pop — to visit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. season — of the year
  6. rash — hasty
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rash — a series
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pop — soda
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mug — a cup
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. craft — boats
  16. mug — a face
  17. chest — of your body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. chest — a box
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pop — music
  23. perch — the fish
  24. season — in sport

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