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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. ground — a position
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. tear — from crying
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ground — crushed
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. present — the time now
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. tear — to rip
  16. present — a gift
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ground — the earth
  22. present — there
  23. tear — from crying
  24. lean — to rest against

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