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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pound — a weight
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rush — hurry
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. swing — music
  22. wake — a trail
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rush — to hurry

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