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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mate — to breed
  5. firm — steady
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. squash — to crush
  12. prune — to trim
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pop — music
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pop — soda
  17. dip — to sink
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mate — a friend
  20. prune — to trim
  21. firm — decided
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mate — a partner

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