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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: mouse · rock · last · wave · sharp · cap · jam · pit

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. last — final
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. last — finally
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. last — to go on
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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