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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. court — for sport
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. saw — the tool
  10. capital — money
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. court — of law
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — a container
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. capital — a city
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tube — the underground
  23. court — of a king
  24. capital — a big letter

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