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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. suit — in cards
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bore — to drill
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ball — a great time
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. game — wild animals
  18. toast — bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bore — to tire

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