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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. swing — in golf
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. swing — music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to click
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. racket — for tennis

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