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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · pit · spring · drill · scale · jam · swing · rash

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pit — in a race
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. drill — the tool
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. spring — a coil
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. swing — to play on
  16. drill — a practice
  17. scale — in music
  18. spring — of water
  19. rash — hasty
  20. drill — army training
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rash — a series
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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