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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ground — a position
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ground — the earth
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. suit — to fit
  9. can — to be able to
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. toast — bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — crushed
  14. swing — in golf
  15. suit — clothes
  16. swing — to play on
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. can — a tin
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. swing — music

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