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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
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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: jam · ground · pitcher · mug · rash · object · dip · scale

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. scale — in music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rash — a series
  7. scale — size or range
  8. mug — to rob
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mug — a cup
  11. ground — crushed
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mug — a face
  16. object — to protest
  17. rash — hasty
  18. object — a thing
  19. ground — a position
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. object — an aim
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. jam — to spread on bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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