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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. cell — in biology
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bank — for money
  6. file — a line of people
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bank — of a river
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. file — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cell — a phone
  22. file — a document
  23. can — a tin
  24. bank — for money

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