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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: drill · bowl · jam · roll · lash · present · firm · stick

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. roll — a cake
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. firm — steady
  7. present — a gift
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. present — there
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — army training
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. firm — a company
  21. drill — the tool
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. firm — decided
  24. roll — a list

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