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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: jam · tear · march · squash · key · ball · pass · spell

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. tear — to rip
  3. march — the month
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tear — from crying
  9. key — the most important part
  10. spell — letters
  11. ball — a great time
  12. march — music
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. key — in music
  15. tear — from crying
  16. key — for a lock
  17. march — the month
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. pass — a permit
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pass — to succeed

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