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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. date — the fruit
  8. current — happening now
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. foot — a measure
  12. staff — a stick
  13. current — electric
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — of water
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. staff — employees
  22. wake — a trail
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — before a funeral

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