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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. court — of a king
  12. club — a group
  13. pound — a weight
  14. court — for sport
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — of law
  19. spell — letters
  20. dip — to sink
  21. spell — magic
  22. club — for golf
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. club — for dancing

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