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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stock — goods
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — shares
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. kid — child
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. kid — to tease
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — to hurry

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