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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 · object · hand · root · bore · ruler · club · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. club — a group
  4. hand — help
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pit — a hole
  8. root — of a plant
  9. object — a thing
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — the cause
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. root — of a word
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. object — an aim
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. object — to protest
  24. ruler — a monarch

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