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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. tube — the underground
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bound — obliged
  10. tube — a container
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wind — moving air
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stem — to come from
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wind — moving air

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