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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bass — the fish
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. firm — steady
  8. bass — low music
  9. staff — employees
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — a hole
  15. band — a music group
  16. firm — decided
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. staff — employees
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pit — in a race
  23. band — a ring
  24. hide — to keep secret

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