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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spring — of water
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cap — of ice
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. ground — the earth
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rock — music
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ground — a position

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