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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. snap — to click
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — a price
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. charge — in control
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. race — the arms race
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lie — to recline
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. charge — electricity
  23. race — humankind
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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