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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 · track · bulb · chest · rush · squash · rule · nail

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rush — hurry
  6. track — a path
  7. chest — of your body
  8. track — to keep track
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rule — a law
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rule — government
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. squash — to crush

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