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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pop — soda
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — in music
  9. bass — low music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. hand — help
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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