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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mug — a face
  5. swing — to play on
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. shower — rain
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — a tool
  13. swing — in golf
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wax — to grow
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. dip — to sink
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. shower — to wash

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