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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: rest · jam · drill · suit · saw · fall · pop · cabinet

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. saw — the tool
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pop — music
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. drill — army training
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — soda
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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