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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · mouse · leaves · rush · cue · wind · straw · track

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wind — moving air
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cue — a signal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rush — hurry
  19. track — a song
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. track — a path

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