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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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 — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. dip — to sink
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — a song
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ground — a position
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ground — the earth
  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