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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. toast — bread
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rest — a break
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rest — what's left
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. chair — a professorship

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