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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chest · fork · board · bass · can · jam · temple · nail

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. chest — a box
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. board — to get on
  8. can — a tin
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — a committee
  11. bass — the fish
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chest — of your body
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — a tin
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chest — of your body

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