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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. rule — a law
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pop — soda
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. land — to come down
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — for money
  11. land — a country
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bank — for money
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rule — government
  20. land — ground
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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