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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rash — a series
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. foot — a measure
  7. spell — magic
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. toast — bread
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — hasty
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — letters
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. spell — a short time

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