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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — to bear
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. squash — the sport
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mark — a trace
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. plane — a tool
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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