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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  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 — a tight spot
  2. cell — a phone
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wound — an injury
  17. row — a line
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. club — for golf
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cell — in biology
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wound — an injury
  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