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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · mug · fine · hide · spring · game · scale · bulb

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — the season
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. spring — of water
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fine — all right
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. game — wild animals
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bulb — for light
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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