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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 · calf · foot · snap · mouse · pit · board · hand

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. foot — a measure
  3. hand — in cards
  4. snap — to click
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. board — a committee
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. hand — help
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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