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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: jam · charge · bass · pit · face · bat · race · hand

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pit — a hole
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. face — to point toward
  12. hand — help
  13. charge — a price
  14. bass — low music
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. race — a contest
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bat — the animal
  21. face — to confront
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. face — part of the head

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