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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: bore · temple · can · bark · pit · jam · plane · toast

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. bark — to shout
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. toast — bread
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bore — to drill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pit — a hole
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. toast — the most admired

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