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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. spell — magic
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. spell — a short time
  8. cell — a phone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — in biology
  12. toast — bread
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. dip — to sink
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. spell — letters
  17. charge — a price
  18. mug — a cup
  19. charge — in control
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mug — to rob
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mug — a face

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