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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mug — a cup
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lean — thin
  8. pop — music
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. game — a match
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pop — soda
  21. pound — a weight
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. lean — to bend

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