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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — letters
  5. drill — army training
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lean — thin
  9. staff — employees
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bass — the fish
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. spell — magic
  19. lean — to bend
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bass — low music

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