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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fine — high quality
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fine — all right
  20. roll — a cake
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rush — hurry

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