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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. object — a thing
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. branch — a division
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. object — an aim
  11. tear — to rip
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. object — to protest
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. key — in music
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — from crying

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