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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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. foot — a measure
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fork — in a road
  17. lean — thin
  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