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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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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 · rush · rash · bulb · pound · coach · squash · court

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. squash — the sport
  4. court — of a king
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rash — a series
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. court — for sport
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. court — of law
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bulb — for light

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