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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: bass · fork · arm · scale · track · fan · jam · face

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. track — a song
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. track — to keep track
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. track — a path
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — low music
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. face — to point toward
  16. scale — in music
  17. face — to confront
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. scale — size or range
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bass — the instrument

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