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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: mouse · cap · suit · jam · court · fan · dip · tube

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cap — a lid
  7. court — of a king
  8. dip — to sink
  9. court — for sport
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cap — a hat
  13. tube — a container
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. court — of law
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cap — of ice

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