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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cap — of ice
  11. prune — to trim
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. capital — money
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. capital — a city
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. prune — the fruit

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