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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. last — to go on
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — a position
  14. last — final
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. can — to be able to
  20. squash — to crush
  21. last — finally
  22. ground — crushed
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. scale — size or range

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