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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. can — a tin
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — to recline
  8. file — a line of people
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. file — a document
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. can — to be able to
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. file — a tool
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. can — a tin

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