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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pit — in a race
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pit — a hole

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