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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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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 · suit · snap · content · ball · bowl · wave · bear

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. content — happy
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bear — the animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. content — the amount
  19. snap — to click
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bowl — a dish

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