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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: rock · cabinet · drill · court · sharp · jam · stand · band

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. drill — the tool
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. court — of a king
  15. band — a ring
  16. stand — to bear
  17. sharp — clever
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rock — music
  24. drill — army training

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