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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. spring — the season
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. spring — a coil
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — of water
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cap — of ice
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. dip — to sink
  24. ruler — for measuring

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