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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. chest — of your body
  3. kid — to tease
  4. press — a publisher
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — goods
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. press — to push
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. kid — child
  16. chest — a box
  17. stock — shares
  18. press — newspapers
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. chest — of your body

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