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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. net — for catching
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. net — in sport
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — after costs
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bowl — to roll

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