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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. hand — help
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. key — for a lock
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pit — in a race

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