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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rash — hasty
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bass — the fish
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bass — low music
  18. rash — a series
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. toast — bread
  23. wake — a trail
  24. toast — the most admired

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