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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: spring · pit · jam · bound · plane · content · mug · board

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bound — tied together
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. plane — a tool
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. spring — of water
  13. board — to get on
  14. mug — a face
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bound — certain
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. spring — the season
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bound — obliged
  24. spring — a coil

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