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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. suit — to fit
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. content — happy
  9. vault — a safe
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — clothes
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. dip — to sink
  17. craft — a skill
  18. content — the amount
  19. craft — boats
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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