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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: wake · jam · spell · tear · stand · fine · drill · rush

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. wake — a trail
  3. tear — from crying
  4. drill — army training
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. rush — hurry
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. tear — to rip
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. tear — from crying
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stand — to bear
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fine — all right

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