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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ball — a dance
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — to play on
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ball — a great time
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. swing — music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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