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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 got himself in a ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. swing — in golf
  7. spring — the season
  8. swing — to play on
  9. spring — of water
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spring — a coil
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. prune — to trim
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. dip — to sink
  20. swing — music
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. prune — to trim
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. plane — in geometry

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