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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: bowl · can · jam · bark · degree · chest · arm · suit

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. degree — temperature
  4. chest — of your body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. can — a tin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. can — to be able to
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. degree — an amount
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. suit — in cards
  19. degree — from a university
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chest — a box
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. arm — part of the body

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