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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: bulb · foot · cue · can · chest · wake · stand · jam

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. chest — of your body
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chest — a box
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. cue — for pool
  18. can — a tin
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — a hint

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