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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. kid — child
  4. toast — bread
  5. fork — in a road
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rest — a break
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stand — to bear
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. kid — to tease
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rest — what's left

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