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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fine — all right
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rock — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. rock — a stone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. perch — for a bird

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