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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. object — an aim
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rule — a law
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — to protest
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — for golf
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lean — thin

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