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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stand — to bear
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. saw — the tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. cell — in biology
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cell — a phone
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. cabinet — ministers

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