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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bound — obliged
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bound — certain
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bound — tied together
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. firm — a company
  13. degree — temperature
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. shower — rain
  18. degree — an amount
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. prune — to trim
  24. staff — employees

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