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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. kid — child
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. kid — to tease
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. stand — to bear
  15. plane — a tool
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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