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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bore — to drill
  5. court — of a king
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pitch — completely
  12. date — the fruit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. court — of law
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. court — for sport
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — to tire

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