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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lean · jam · date · bat · ruler · chip · drill · ball

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. lean — thin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bat — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. drill — army training
  24. lean — to rest against

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