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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rule — government
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rule — a law
  13. prune — to trim
  14. kid — to tease
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. kid — child
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. leaves — of a tree

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