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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. row — to paddle
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. firm — steady
  6. press — newspapers
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. firm — a company
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rest — what's left
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. rest — a break
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. track — to keep track
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. date — the fruit
  24. row — a line

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