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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. kick — in football
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mug — a face
  10. spring — the season
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. spring — of water
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. land — to come down
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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