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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: jam · key · bore · spring · pitcher · racket · shower · present

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. bore — to tire
  3. present — the time now
  4. shower — to wash
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bore — to drill
  7. spring — a coil
  8. shower — rain
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spring — of water
  11. key — the most important part
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. key — for a lock
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. key — in music
  16. present — there
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. present — a gift
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spring — the season
  23. bore — gave birth
  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