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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ground · can · jam · arm · ball · bore · fine · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fine — high quality
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rush — hurry
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — a tin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fine — all right
  19. bore — to drill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bore — to tire
  23. can — to be able to
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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