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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. object — a thing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. object — an aim
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — to recline
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. march — music
  17. object — to protest
  18. fork — in a road
  19. march — the month
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in music

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