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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mate — to breed
  3. face — part of the head
  4. swing — music
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cell — in biology
  7. swing — in golf
  8. can — a tin
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. mate — a partner
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. can — to be able to
  16. squash — the sport
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. mate — a friend
  23. swing — to play on
  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