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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — a price
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. charge — in control
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rush — hurry
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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