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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: jam · pitcher · staff · shower · trunk · chair · dip · track

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. track — a path
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chair — a leader
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. track — a song
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. shower — to wash
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. staff — a stick
  23. track — to keep track
  24. pitcher — a jug

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