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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: pit · saw · content · bowl · wake · jam · spell · band

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pit — in a race
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — a hole
  17. band — a ring
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. band — a music group
  21. spell — magic
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. spell — letters
  24. wake — a trail

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