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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — a container
  4. net — in sport
  5. firm — a company
  6. swing — in golf
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. key — for a lock
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. firm — steady
  12. key — in music
  13. net — after costs
  14. key — the most important part
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. net — for catching
  17. tube — the underground
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. swing — to play on
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. swing — music

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