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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rule — government
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. kick — in football
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rule — a law
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. staff — employees
  15. ball — a great time
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rock — music
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. ball — a dance
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wake — before a funeral

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