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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bulb — for light
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. suit — in cards
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. clip — a video
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. foot — a measure
  18. clip — for paper
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — in a race
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. clip — to cut

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