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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rock — music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pit — a hole
  9. tube — a container
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. band — a ring
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rash — a series
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bear — the animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bear — the animal
  21. band — a music group
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rash — hasty

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