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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 · pitch · bore · hand · bulb · mug · dip · pit

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pit — in a race
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hand — help
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mug — a face
  9. bore — to drill
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bore — to tire
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — completely

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