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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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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: club · bay · board · lash · jam · content · dip · date

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. club — for golf
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. club — a group
  17. content — happy
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. club — for dancing
  20. content — the amount
  21. board — to get on
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. board — a committee
  24. content — videos and posts

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