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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. track — a path
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. degree — temperature
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — a group
  7. net — in sport
  8. club — for dancing
  9. net — after costs
  10. club — for golf
  11. track — to keep track
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. firm — a company
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — decided
  16. track — a song
  17. degree — from a university
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. net — for catching
  21. firm — steady
  22. degree — an amount
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. jam — in traffic

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