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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.

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: pit · jam · leaves · cue · bowl · safe · dip · spring

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. spring — the season
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pit — in a race
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. spring — a coil
  11. dip — to sink
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. spring — of water
  21. cue — for pool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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