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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mug — a face
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. field — for sport
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — bread
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mug — to rob
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. field — farmland
  14. mug — a cup
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. row — a line
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. field — a subject
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pass — a permit

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