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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. can — a tin
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. can — to be able to
  8. field — farmland
  9. chip — to eat
  10. key — for a lock
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. field — for sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. key — in music
  17. race — the arms race
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. field — a subject
  24. chip — for betting

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