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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: clip · coach · jam · kick · drill · saw · squash · bulb

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. drill — army training
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — to crush
  8. kick — in football
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bulb — for light
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — to cut
  16. saw — the tool
  17. clip — a video
  18. bulb — for light
  19. saw — the tool
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. squash — the sport

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