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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. roll — a list
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rest — a break
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. rest — what's left
  11. roll — a cake
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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