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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: bulb · bore · court · jam · chest · foot · rock · nail

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rock — a stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bulb — for light
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. court — for sport
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rock — music
  14. court — of law
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. chest — a box
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — of a king
  24. chest — of your body

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