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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. date — the fruit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a line of people
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. staff — employees
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. file — a document
  24. racket — for tennis

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