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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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pit — a hole
  6. saw — the tool
  7. march — the month
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — the month
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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