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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: fine · ball · prune · jam · face · saw · ground · board

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fine — high quality
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ball — a dance
  5. face — part of the head
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. board — to get on
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ground — a position
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. prune — to trim
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fine — all right
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ground — crushed
  19. saw — the tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ground — the earth

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