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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bear — the animal
  3. press — to push
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. press — newspapers
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — a publisher
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. jam — in traffic

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