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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bank — of a river
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bank — for money
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. court — of a king
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rest — a break
  19. bank — for money
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. ball — a dance
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. drill — a practice

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