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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fork — in a road
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fork — to eat with

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