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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bore — to tire
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — to recline
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. ground — crushed
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. fine — high quality
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. ground — the earth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hand — help
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. ground — a position

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