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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. club — for dancing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. court — of law
  5. court — for sport
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mate — a friend
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. court — of a king
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mate — to breed

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