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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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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: content · arm · pound · deal · bear · coach · vault · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. deal — to handle
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — the animal
  18. vault — a safe
  19. content — happy
  20. pound — a weight
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bear — the animal
  24. content — the amount

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