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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. land — a country
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. land — ground
  7. march — the month
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bass — the fish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bass — low music
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. land — to come down
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. march — the month
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. march — music
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bowl — to roll

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