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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chair — a leader
  4. face — to confront
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lean — to bend
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. fine — all right
  17. lean — thin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. stock — shares
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fine — high quality

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