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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. tube — a container
  3. march — music
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lean — to bend
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. march — the month
  14. rest — a break
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lean — thin
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rash — a series
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. march — the month
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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