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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. key — in music
  4. fine — all right
  5. can — to be able to
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. content — happy
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. content — the amount
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. fine — high quality

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