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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pit — a hole
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. saw — the tool
  11. band — a music group
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — a container
  14. band — a ring
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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