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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pit — in a race
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bulb — for light
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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