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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: drill · cue · jam · wake · pass · bowl · rock · ball

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. ball — a dance
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. rock — a stone
  8. drill — army training
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rock — music
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — for pool

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