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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: object · date · pop · mug · bark · race · dip · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. race — the arms race
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. race — a contest
  11. object — an aim
  12. pop — music
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pop — to visit
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. race — humankind
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pop — soda
  19. object — to protest
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mug — a face
  22. dip — to sink
  23. object — a thing
  24. date — on the calendar

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