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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
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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: pop · vault · wake · hide · snap · jam · scale · firm

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. scale — in music
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pop — to visit
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — size or range
  12. snap — to click
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — music
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pop — soda
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. firm — a company
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. vault — a safe
  23. firm — steady
  24. wake — before a funeral

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