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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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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: stem · race · dip · rock · nail · pit · jam · squash

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — to sink
  6. race — a contest
  7. pit — in a race
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. squash — the sport
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. rock — music
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — to crush
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — humankind
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rock — to move gently

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