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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rest — what's left
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fall — to drop
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fall — to drop
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. rest — what's left
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. field — for sport
  14. pass — a permit
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. field — a subject
  19. fall — the season
  20. roll — a list
  21. field — farmland
  22. roll — a cake
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rest — a break

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