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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. current — happening now
  3. bear — the animal
  4. current — of water
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. roll — a list
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. current — electric
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. plane — a tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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