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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lie — to recline
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ground — a position
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — in a race

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