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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · coach · mate · roll · content · ball · prune · staff

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ball — a dance
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a list
  6. staff — employees
  7. roll — a cake
  8. content — the amount
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — a stick
  13. content — happy
  14. mate — a friend
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — a partner
  20. ball — a great time
  21. prune — to trim
  22. staff — employees
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mate — to breed

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