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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bore — to tire
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. drill — army training
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — the tool
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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