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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bore · jam · pit · bulb · rush · dip · root · bay

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rush — hurry
  7. dip — to sink
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. root — of a word
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. root — of a plant
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. root — the cause
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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