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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: bat · current · nail · spell · jam · drill · wave · pop

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. spell — a short time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pop — music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. spell — magic
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pop — soda
  24. spell — letters

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