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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: court · dip · wave · jam · club · arm · mug · wound

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wound — an injury
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mug — a face
  12. wound — an injury
  13. court — for sport
  14. dip — to sink
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. court — of law
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. court — of a king
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — to dunk

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