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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. wind — moving air
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bank — for money
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. plane — a tool
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bank — for money
  21. band — a ring
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bank — of a river
  24. dip — to sink

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