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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. staff — employees
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. staff — a stick
  8. season — of the year
  9. land — to come down
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. season — in sport
  12. land — a country
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. staff — employees
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. land — ground

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