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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 · bowl · mark · present · track · arm · rush · firm

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — steady
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. firm — decided
  8. track — a song
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mark — a grade
  11. firm — a company
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. present — a gift
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. present — there
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rush — a thrill

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