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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. track — a song
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. degree — an amount
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. degree — temperature
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. degree — from a university
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a path
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. suit — to fit
  24. track — to keep track

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