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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mate — a friend
  6. capital — a city
  7. pop — music
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. pop — to visit
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pop — soda
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. can — a tin
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mate — a partner
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. capital — money
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mate — to breed
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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