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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. spell — a short time
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. spell — magic
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. spell — letters
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — shares
  11. bound — certain
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. stock — goods
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. suit — to fit
  17. lie — to recline
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. suit — in cards

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