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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 · pit · fan · craft · jam · toast · suit · drill

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rest — a break
  5. pit — in a race
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. drill — army training
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. craft — boats
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — the tool
  23. toast — bread
  24. drill — a practice

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