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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pop — soda
  10. tear — to rip
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bore — to drill
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tear — from crying
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — rain
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pop — music

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