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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. date — the fruit
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. foot — a measure
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bass — low music
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. snap — to click
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. vault — a safe

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