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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mug — to rob
  3. object — to protest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. can — a tin
  7. mug — a face
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. object — a thing
  10. race — humankind
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — an aim
  13. can — a tin
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. race — a contest
  16. mug — a cup
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. date — the fruit

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