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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: pop · safe · deal · jam · bay · mine · dip · pit

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — in a race
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pop — music
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pop — soda
  22. dip — to sink
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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