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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: rule · bay · bore · drill · jam · bank · game · straw

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. drill — army training
  3. bank — of a river
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bank — for money
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bore — to drill
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bay — a horse colour

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