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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: leaves · stand · dip · drill · mouse · can · jam · spell

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — letters
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. can — a tin
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. dip — to sink
  17. can — a tin
  18. spell — a short time
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. drill — the tool
  22. spell — magic
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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