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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: ruler · jam · saw · press · drill · mark · bay · coach

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. press — newspapers
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. press — to push
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. press — a publisher
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. saw — the tool

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