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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: stick · bass · track · saw · ground · toast · jam · temple

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — low music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ground — the earth
  8. track — a song
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bass — the fish
  13. toast — bread
  14. saw — the tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. track — a path
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ground — a position
  24. track — to keep track

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