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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chest — of your body
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. staff — employees
  8. bear — the animal
  9. staff — a stick
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. plane — a tool
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chest — a box
  20. staff — employees
  21. mark — a trace
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. safe — out of danger

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