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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. present — there
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. can — to be able to
  7. toast — bread
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. present — the time now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — a gift
  12. can — a tin
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bulb — for light
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. can — a tin
  17. bark — to shout
  18. foot — a measure
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bark — of a tree

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