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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rule — a law
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. tear — from crying
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. swing — to play on
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rule — government
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. rest — a break
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — in golf
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tear — to rip

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