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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 · key · pop · lie · drill · spring · roll · wave

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pop — soda
  5. spring — the season
  6. drill — the tool
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. key — in music
  10. drill — army training
  11. key — the most important part
  12. roll — a list
  13. spring — a coil
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. drill — a practice
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. spring — of water
  23. key — for a lock
  24. roll — a cake

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