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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: jam · drill · rock · rest · toast · object

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — to protest
  4. rest — what's left
  5. object — an aim
  6. rock — a stone
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rock — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. drill — the tool
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. toast — bread
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rest — a break
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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