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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: ball · arm · bank · chest · bass · saw · jam · bowl

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. chest — of your body
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bass — the fish
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bass — low music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bank — for money

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