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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cap — a lid
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pit — a hole
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. scale — in music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cap — a hat
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. scale — size or range

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