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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: mark · pit · jam · dip · cue · drill

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cue — for pool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cue — a hint
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pit — in a race

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