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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pit — a hole
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. degree — temperature
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. degree — from a university
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. arm — a part of something

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