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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. object — to protest
  4. pop — soda
  5. kick — in football
  6. pop — to visit
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. object — a thing
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pop — music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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