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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pit — a hole
  7. court — for sport
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. court — of law
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pit — in a race
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bass — low music
  18. court — of a king
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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