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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. craft — a skill
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. key — in music
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. land — ground
  14. craft — boats
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — high quality
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. key — for a lock
  22. fine — all right
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. toast — bread

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