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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · fan · squash · toast · game · trunk · bay · rock

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. game — a match
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rock — music
  20. game — wild animals
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. jam — a tight spot

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