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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. bass — the fish
  4. band — a ring
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. suit — in cards
  10. craft — boats
  11. swing — music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bass — low music
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. swing — in golf
  22. chest — of your body
  23. band — a music group
  24. calf — a young animal

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