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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. wound — an injury
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wound — an injury
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rest — a break
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. sharp — with an edge

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