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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spell — magic
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — letters
  7. mug — a cup
  8. kid — child
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stand — to bear
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. spell — a short time
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — in cards
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — a face
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mug — to rob

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