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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stock — shares
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. stock — goods
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bank — for money
  16. wound — an injury
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mark — a trace
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rest — a break
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stock — a soup base

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