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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stock — goods
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stock — shares
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bass — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lie — to recline

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