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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. chest — of your body
  3. fork — in a road
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. present — the time now
  7. dip — to sink
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — there
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. chest — a box
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bass — low music

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