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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · kick · present · mark · mouse · bore · jam · pitcher

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. saw — the tool
  3. present — there
  4. present — a gift
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. saw — the tool
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. present — the time now

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