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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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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: stick · jam · bank · pound · drill · rock · content · cell

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bank — for money
  4. cell — in biology
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. content — the amount
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. drill — army training
  22. cell — a phone
  23. content — happy
  24. rock — music

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