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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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