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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: mark · land · chest · pound · mouse · jam · suit · pass

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — a trace
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. land — ground
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. chest — a box
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. land — a country
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. land — to come down
  24. pass — a permit

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