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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rush — hurry
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. craft — a skill
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. tube — a container
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — boats
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. leaves — lets stay

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