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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. game — a match
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cold — an illness
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. craft — boats
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. roll — a list
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. firm — decided
  14. game — wild animals
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. cold — not warm
  19. roll — a cake
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. dip — to sink
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. firm — steady

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