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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: mark · date · bore · spell · jam · fine · calf · bark

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bore — to tire
  6. date — the fruit
  7. spell — magic
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bore — to drill
  20. spell — letters
  21. bark — to shout
  22. fine — all right
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. spell — a short time

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