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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. shower — to wash
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — decided
  11. game — a match
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — steady
  15. shower — rain
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. firm — a company

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