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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bound — certain
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. cap — of ice
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mug — a face
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. craft — boats
  21. mug — a cup
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — thin
  24. mug — to rob

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