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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. staff — employees
  6. board — a committee
  7. staff — employees
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. court — of law
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. board — to get on
  16. staff — a stick
  17. court — for sport
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. court — of a king
  21. foot — a measure
  22. pop — music
  23. season — in sport
  24. pop — to visit

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