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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: march · shower · kick · bore · pitcher · wax · jam · pit

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wax — to grow
  4. kick — in football
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. shower — rain
  22. bore — to tire
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. jam — a tight spot

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