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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: jam · wave · pit · dip · bound · prune · tube · deal

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. tube — a container
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pit — a hole
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. dip — to sink
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bound — certain
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pit — in a race
  24. deal — a big deal

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