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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. degree — temperature
  3. cap — a lid
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — there
  9. spell — letters
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. degree — from a university
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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