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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: lie · jam · wake · ground · rock · can · rest · drill

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. drill — the tool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wake — a trail
  11. can — to be able to
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rest — a break
  21. drill — army training
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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