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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: last · game · fall · bowl · staff · suit · jam · cap

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cap — of ice
  7. staff — employees
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. staff — employees
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cap — a hat
  16. staff — a stick
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cap — a lid
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fall — to drop
  21. last — final
  22. game — a match
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fall — the season

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