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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: pop · charge · firm · club · mine · bear · game · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mine — for digging
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. firm — decided
  7. pop — music
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. firm — a company
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pop — soda
  15. charge — in control
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. club — for golf
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. charge — a price
  21. firm — steady
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bear — the animal

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