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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: bass · pound · nail · suit · jam · vault · bear · rest

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bass — the fish
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rest — a break
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rest — what's left
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bass — low music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pound — a weight
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — clothes

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