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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 · roll · squash · can · kick · pop · bound · tear

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bound — tied together
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bound — obliged
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. squash — to crush
  9. roll — a list
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pop — soda
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — to visit
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. can — a tin
  16. tear — from crying
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. can — a tin
  19. bound — certain
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pop — music
  22. tear — from crying
  23. squash — the sport
  24. tear — to rip

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