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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. club — for dancing
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pitch — completely
  16. club — a group
  17. snap — to click
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. club — for golf
  21. pound — a weight
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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