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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. present — the time now
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mark — a trace
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. file — a document
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. file — a line of people
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. vault — a safe
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. squash — the sport
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — a grade
  19. file — a tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — a gift
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. present — there

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