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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 ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. date — the fruit
  3. hand — help
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rule — a law
  11. shower — rain
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rule — government
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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