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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pit — in a race
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. capital — a city
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. capital — money

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