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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chest — a box
  4. band — a ring
  5. present — there
  6. rash — a series
  7. chest — of your body
  8. present — a gift
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. chest — of your body
  19. ground — a position
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. present — the time now
  22. band — a music group
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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