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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. band — a ring
  9. game — wild animals
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pit — a hole
  15. can — a tin
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. firm — decided
  21. game — a match
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pit — in a race
  24. band — a music group

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