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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
468
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: tube · jam · game · bass · fall · date · ruler · leaves

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. game — wild animals
  9. date — the fruit
  10. game — a match
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — low music
  17. tube — the underground
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. tube — in a tire

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