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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. staff — employees
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ground — a position
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ball — a dance
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a great time
  15. present — there
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ground — crushed
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mark — a grade
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ground — the earth
  24. staff — a stick

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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