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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: pit · jam · bore · lean · fan · shower · stick · deal

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. deal — to handle
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pit — a hole
  9. lean — thin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. shower — to wash
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. shower — rain
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bore — gave birth

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