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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. present — the time now
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bass — the fish
  6. dip — to sink
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fine — high quality
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. present — there
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fine — all right
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bass — low music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — clever
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. present — a gift

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