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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wound — an injury
  3. suit — in cards
  4. land — a country
  5. suit — to fit
  6. row — a line
  7. can — a tin
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. can — a tin
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. row — to paddle
  15. wound — an injury
  16. land — ground
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. can — to be able to
  19. land — to come down
  20. suit — clothes
  21. toast — bread
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — a quarrel

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