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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: ground · date · bore · firm · jam · pit · wave · row

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ground — crushed
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pit — in a race
  20. firm — decided
  21. ground — a position
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bore — to tire
  24. row — a line

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