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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: dip · present · jam · trunk · wave · suit · staff · band

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — clothes
  14. present — there
  15. staff — employees
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. staff — employees
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. present — a gift
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. dip — to sink
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. present — the time now

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