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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: jam · bark · cabinet · ball · last · mug · bear · nail

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — to shout
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. last — finally
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mug — to rob
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mug — a cup
  17. last — final
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — to go on
  24. mug — a face

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