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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tube — a container
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pit — a hole
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pit — in a race

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