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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: bound · cap · snap · squash · jam · calf · dip · hand

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cap — a hat
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bound — obliged
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. cap — of ice
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. hand — help
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bound — certain
  19. hand — in cards
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bound — tied together
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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