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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. scale — size or range
  5. band — a ring
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rock — music
  13. shower — rain
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. race — a contest
  17. rock — a stone
  18. shower — to wash
  19. band — a music group
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. scale — in music
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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