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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. suit — to fit
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stem — to come from
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. board — a committee
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. tear — to rip
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — in cards
  24. board — to get on

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