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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in biology
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pound — a weight
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. last — final
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. suit — to fit
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — in cards
  16. last — finally
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. can — a tin
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. can — a tin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. last — to go on
  24. pound — to hit hard

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