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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: board · jam · snap · coach · spring · rush · firm · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. net — in sport
  4. spring — the season
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — a company
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spring — a coil
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. net — for catching
  17. board — a committee
  18. spring — of water
  19. firm — decided
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. snap — to click
  23. rush — hurry
  24. board — to get on

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