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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chest — a box
  5. fine — high quality
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chest — of your body
  9. spring — of water
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. spring — a coil
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spring — the season
  23. fine — all right
  24. racket — for tennis

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