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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. club — for golf
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bulb — for light
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. tear — to rip
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. club — a group
  13. tear — from crying
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. club — for dancing
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pit — in a race
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bulb — for light

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