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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pop — soda
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bark — to shout
  6. swing — music
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. net — for catching
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. net — after costs
  12. craft — a skill
  13. date — the fruit
  14. pop — music
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. net — in sport
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pop — to visit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. craft — boats

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