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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 · wake · wave · jam · pass · stem · bay · saw

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. drill — army training
  24. stem — a stem cell

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