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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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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: wave · mark · jam · can · swing · lean · roll · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. roll — a list
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. swing — in golf
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. drill — army training
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mark — a grade
  18. can — a tin
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lean — thin
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. swing — music
  24. roll — on a roll

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