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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. can — a tin
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. game — a match
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — wild animals
  9. plane — a tool
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pit — in a race
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — in geometry

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