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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. chest — a box
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — boats
  7. chest — of your body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the fish
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. can — a tin
  19. bass — low music
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. can — a tin
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — a skill

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