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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: leaves · dip · roll · rock · club · pop · jam · bowl

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rock — music
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rock — a stone
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. club — a group
  12. pop — music
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pop — to visit
  17. club — for dancing
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pop — soda
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. club — for golf

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