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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: content · wake · stick · rash · cue · rock · spring · jam

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rash — hasty
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. content — happy
  6. spring — the season
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. spring — of water
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. content — the amount
  15. cue — a signal
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rash — a series
  18. rock — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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