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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: drill · pit · scale · spell · net · pass · jam · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. drill — army training
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. spell — a short time
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. drill — a practice
  7. spell — magic
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. net — for catching
  10. drill — the tool
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pit — in a race
  14. scale — size or range
  15. spell — letters
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — after costs
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. net — in sport
  24. pass — a permit

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