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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. roll — a list
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. race — the arms race
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. race — a contest
  10. saw — the tool
  11. race — humankind
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fine — all right
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. saw — the tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fine — high quality
  20. dip — to sink
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stand — to bear
  24. roll — a cake

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