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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: root · jam · board · rest · wake · bass · rule · bat

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bat — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — a law
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wake — a trail
  11. board — a committee
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. root — the cause
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — low music
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. rest — a break
  19. rule — government
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — to get on
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bass — the fish

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