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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fine — all right
  6. season — in sport
  7. deal — to handle
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. swing — to play on
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. fine — high quality
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. season — of the year
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ground — crushed
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. swing — in golf
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. swing — music
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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