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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 just a dried plum.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — employees
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. staff — a stick
  21. kick — in football
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bark — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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