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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. net — for catching
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. file — a tool
  6. current — of water
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. net — after costs
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. file — a document
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. scale — in music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. current — happening now
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. net — in sport
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. file — a line of people
  24. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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