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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — for a lock
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rash — a series
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rest — a break
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. key — in music
  15. rash — hasty
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pound — to hit hard

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