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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. vault — a safe
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bear — the animal
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. hand — in cards

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