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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. firm — a company
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rule — a law
  9. toast — bread
  10. band — a music group
  11. pass — a permit
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. firm — decided
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. firm — steady
  18. can — a tin
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rule — government
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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