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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bass — low music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. root — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — a path
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. track — to keep track
  16. root — the cause
  17. track — a song
  18. mug — a cup
  19. tube — a container
  20. mug — a face
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. root — of a word
  24. tube — the underground

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