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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · jam · fan · bore · rash · fine · cap · pop

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fine — high quality
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bore — to drill
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pop — soda
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — a series
  21. row — a line
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fan — to cool the air

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