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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fork — in a road
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lie — to recline
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bear — the animal
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. saw — the tool

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