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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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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: mate · jam · bowl · bear · fall · swing · chair · pound

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mate — to breed
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fall — to drop
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fall — to drop
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. fall — the season
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. chair — a leader
  15. swing — in golf
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mate — a partner
  20. swing — music
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pound — a weight

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