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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rest — what's left
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rest — a break
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. jam — a tight spot

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