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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. staff — employees
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. object — to protest
  7. staff — employees
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. staff — a stick
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fork — in a road
  17. object — an aim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — a thing
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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