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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: drill · cell · foot · pop · bank · jam · mug · deal

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mug — a face
  4. drill — army training
  5. mug — a cup
  6. cell — in biology
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. drill — the tool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cell — a phone
  12. pop — soda
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bank — for money
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mug — to rob
  18. foot — a measure
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. pop — music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pop — to visit
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. deal — to handle

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