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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fall — to drop
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fall — to drop
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fall — the season

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