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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. saw — the tool
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. swing — to play on
  7. perch — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. bass — the fish
  10. swing — in golf
  11. staff — a stick
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pit — a hole
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. staff — employees
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. season — of the year
  19. saw — the tool
  20. swing — music
  21. bass — low music
  22. season — in sport
  23. pit — in a race
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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