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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
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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: drill · coach · rock · game · spell · bass · jam · wax

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spell — a short time
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bass — low music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rock — music
  15. game — a match
  16. spell — magic
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. spell — letters
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. drill — the tool

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