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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. degree — an amount
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pit — in a race
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pit — a hole
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. degree — temperature
  24. plane — a tool

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