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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. staff — a stick
  3. pit — a hole
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stock — shares
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. root — the cause
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. staff — employees
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. root — of a word
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. root — of a plant
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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