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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. toast — bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stock — goods
  7. spell — magic
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. track — a path
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cap — a lid
  14. track — a song
  15. craft — a skill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. craft — boats
  19. spell — letters
  20. cap — a hat
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — of ice
  23. spell — a short time
  24. arm — part of the body

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