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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: jam · trunk · pop · toast · lie · chair · spell · wave

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. chair — a leader
  3. pop — soda
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. spell — a short time
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. spell — magic
  13. pop — to visit
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pop — music
  24. chair — to sit on

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