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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. shower — rain
  3. root — the cause
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. shower — to wash
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mark — a trace
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. root — of a word
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. fine — high quality

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