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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: jam · swing · net · drill · pound · fan · pit · rule

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. drill — army training
  6. rule — a law
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rule — government
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. net — after costs
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — for catching
  20. pound — a weight
  21. net — in sport
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fan — to cool the air

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