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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. fine — all right
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. row — to paddle
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fork — in a road
  10. suit — to fit
  11. band — a ring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. band — a music group
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. track — a path
  17. fine — high quality
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. track — a song
  21. row — a line
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. band — a rubber band

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