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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. band — a music group
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pit — a hole
  16. band — a ring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — in a race
  19. date — the fruit
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. date — on the calendar

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