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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: game · scale · prune · object · drill · stand · bowl · jam

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. prune — to trim
  3. object — an aim
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. game — wild animals
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. game — a match
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. prune — to trim
  20. scale — in music
  21. drill — a practice
  22. object — to protest
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. game — a kind of play

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