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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
468
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 · date · wave · arm · current · stem · drill · fine

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. drill — army training
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. current — electric
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fine — high quality
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fine — all right
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. current — of water
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. current — happening now

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