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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
468
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 · can · race · rush · drill · toast · object · chair

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. race — a contest
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. object — an aim
  6. toast — bread
  7. chair — a leader
  8. race — humankind
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. race — the arms race
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. object — a thing
  14. drill — a practice
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. can — to be able to
  17. drill — army training
  18. can — a tin
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. can — a tin
  22. rush — hurry
  23. object — to protest
  24. toast — the most admired

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