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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · game · pitcher · rest · bay · leaves · mug · rule

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. mug — a face
  12. game — wild animals
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rest — what's left
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rest — a break

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