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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spring — a coil
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. suit — in cards
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mark — a grade
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spring — the season
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. toast — bread
  22. spring — of water
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. racket — a loud noise

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