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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 · pit · root · straw · can · tube · bay · hide

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — a container
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pit — a hole
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. root — of a word
  12. can — a tin
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. root — the cause
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. tube — the underground
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. jam — in traffic

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