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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. board — to get on
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pass — a permit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. board — a committee
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — clothes
  23. foot — a measure
  24. temple — a place of worship

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