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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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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: lash · jam · pit · shower · board · bowl · kid · bass

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — to get on
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bass — the fish
  6. kid — child
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bass — low music
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. kid — to tease
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. shower — to wash
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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