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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. present — there
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — a trace
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. last — to go on
  12. present — a gift
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. last — final
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. present — the time now
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. last — finally

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