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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: lean · nail · jam · bay · court · last · pass · rash

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. last — final
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lean — to bend
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — thin
  11. rash — a series
  12. court — of law
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. court — of a king
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. court — for sport
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pass — a permit

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