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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bound — certain
  3. spell — a short time
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — a phone
  7. present — there
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bound — tied together
  12. present — the time now
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spell — letters
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. present — a gift
  21. spell — magic
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. cell — in biology

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