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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: jam · court · mark · rule · drill · fine · spell · ball

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. court — of a king
  3. court — of law
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rule — a law
  6. spell — letters
  7. mark — a trace
  8. drill — army training
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fine — all right
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. court — for sport
  15. rule — government
  16. fine — high quality
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. spell — magic
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ball — a dance

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