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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. row — to paddle
  3. squash — to crush
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. current — happening now
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. fine — high quality
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. foot — a measure
  12. current — of water
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. current — electric
  15. last — finally
  16. fine — all right
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. last — to go on
  22. row — a line
  23. squash — the sport
  24. arm — a part of something

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