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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 · wind · suit · bowl · lie · bear · race · band

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. suit — in cards
  8. race — humankind
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. race — the arms race
  14. band — a music group
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. race — a contest
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. band — a ring
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wind — moving air
  24. lie — to recline

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