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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: last · jam · drill · board · bulb · temple · wake · ball

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. last — finally
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. last — to go on
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. drill — the tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. last — final
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a dance
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wake — a trail
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. drill — army training
  22. board — a committee
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — a practice

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