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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. tube — the underground
  4. can — a tin
  5. season — in sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fine — high quality
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. can — to be able to
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fine — all right
  19. spring — the season
  20. season — of the year
  21. spring — of water
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. tube — a container

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