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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bound — tied together
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bound — certain
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lean — thin
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ground — a position
  16. bound — obliged
  17. ground — the earth
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. tear — to rip
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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