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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. last — to go on
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. last — final
  9. rest — a break
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. face — to confront
  14. last — finally
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rest — what's left
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rest — what's left

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