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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
468
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: lean · mouse · coach · roll · craft · jam · scale · kid

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. kid — child
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. roll — a list
  15. craft — boats
  16. lean — to bend
  17. craft — a skill
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. kid — to tease
  21. lean — thin
  22. roll — a cake
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. craft — a handicraft

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