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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. key — the most important part
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mine — for digging
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — in music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. stock — goods
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. safe — a strongbox

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