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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. object — an aim
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. date — the fruit
  11. scale — in music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. object — to protest
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cell — in biology
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. object — a thing
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cell — a phone

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