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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 · hand · safe · rash · kick · spring · bowl · court

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. spring — the season
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. court — of law
  6. spring — a coil
  7. kick — in football
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — in cards
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. hand — part of the body

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