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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. season — of the year
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. file — a line of people
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. file — a tool
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. file — a document
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — in sport
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a round shape

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