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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: can · pass · rush · stand · jam · drill · bat · field

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. field — a subject
  4. stand — to bear
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pass — a permit
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. field — for sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. can — to be able to
  23. field — farmland
  24. bat — the animal

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