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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: date · jam · bear · tube · wave · sharp · foot · track

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bear — the animal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. track — a path
  11. sharp — clever
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. track — to keep track
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. date — the fruit
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. foot — a measure

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