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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. prune — to trim
  6. board — to get on
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. saw — the tool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — a committee
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bay — a horse colour

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