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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: jam · drill · rock · rest · toast · object · ball · temple

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rock — a stone
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. drill — army training
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. object — to protest
  12. toast — bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. object — a thing
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rest — a break
  19. ball — a dance
  20. drill — a practice
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. object — an aim

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