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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 jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. swing — music
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — to fit
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. swing — in golf
  12. net — in sport
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. net — for catching
  15. swing — to play on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. suit — in cards
  20. firm — a company
  21. net — after costs
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. jam — in traffic

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