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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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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: safe · pit · dip · jam · game · cap · lean · march

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. cap — of ice
  3. dip — to sink
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cap — a lid
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — a hole
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lean — to bend
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pit — in a race
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. lean — thin
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. game — wild animals
  21. march — music
  22. game — a match
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. dip — a sauce

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