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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. object — a thing
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. object — an aim
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. object — to protest
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — boats
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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