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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. suit — clothes
  5. last — final
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — to go on
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — a match
  15. last — finally
  16. game — wild animals
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. suit — to fit

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