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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: chest · fall · key · jam · bowl · dip · mine · fine

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chest — a box
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fine — all right
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fall — to drop
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — in music
  18. chest — of your body
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. dip — a sauce

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