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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: jam · wake · suit · drill · pitch · object · pound · root

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — to protest
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wake — a trail
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — clothes
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. suit — to fit
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pitch — completely
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. drill — a practice
  24. jam — a tight spot

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