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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. game — wild animals
  3. key — in music
  4. game — a match
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. board — to get on
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mark — a trace
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. roll — a list
  21. mark — a grade
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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