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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. object — to protest
  4. roll — a list
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. field — for sport
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. field — a subject
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. roll — a cake
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. field — farmland
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — a trace

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