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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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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: bay · rock · snap · bound · mug · jam · pit · present

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rock — music
  3. present — there
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bound — obliged
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. present — the time now
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rock — a stone
  13. present — a gift
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mug — to rob
  18. snap — to click
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mug — a face
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bound — tied together

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