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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. tear — to rip
  7. pit — in a race
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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