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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. staff — employees
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. court — of law
  5. staff — employees
  6. rule — government
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. court — of a king
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — for sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bulb — for light
  13. staff — a stick
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rule — a law

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