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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. season — of the year
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fine — all right
  11. bat — the animal
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. season — in sport
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — child
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lie — an untruth

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