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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: bore · pass · jam · stock · row · nail · bark · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bore — to drill
  11. row — a line
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bark — to shout
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. row — to paddle
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. bore — to tire

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