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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: cell · nail · jam · can · pitcher · wake · lie · bear

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. can — a tin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. can — a tin
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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