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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. craft — boats
  4. mate — a partner
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bear — the animal
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mate — to breed
  11. shower — rain
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mate — a friend
  16. drill — army training
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pit — a hole
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. drill — the tool
  24. shower — to wash

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