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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. can — to be able to
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. season — of the year
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. press — to push
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. season — in sport
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. can — a tin
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. can — a tin

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