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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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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: tube · jam · spring · perch · present · stick · racket · arm

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — a coil
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. perch — the fish
  15. spring — the season
  16. present — a gift
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. spring — of water
  19. present — there
  20. tube — the underground
  21. present — the time now
  22. tube — a container
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. tube — in a tire

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