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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. spring — the season
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bound — certain
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spring — of water
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — to handle
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. spring — a coil
  24. chair — a leader

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