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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. content — happy
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chair — a leader
  8. perch — the fish
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. cue — a signal
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cue — for pool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fall — the season
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pop — music
  19. cue — a hint
  20. content — the amount
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fall — to drop

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