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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bank — for money
  13. spell — letters
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. spell — magic
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — a short time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — clever
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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