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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. suit — in cards
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spring — a coil
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. spring — of water
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pit — in a race
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bore — to tire
  21. spring — the season
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ground — a position

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