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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cell — a phone
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bound — obliged
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bound — certain
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bound — tied together
  20. craft — boats
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bowl — a dish

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