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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. swing — music
  4. pop — music
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pop — to visit
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pop — soda
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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