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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. dip — to sink
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rule — government
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rule — a law
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. chip — for betting
  18. kid — to tease
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. kid — child

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