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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
468
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: bear · bowl · rush · ball · jam · chair · craft · club

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. craft — boats
  6. club — for dancing
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. club — for golf
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. club — a group
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bear — to put up with

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