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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mate — a friend
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stock — shares
  16. mate — to breed
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. foot — a measure
  19. deal — to handle
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stock — goods

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