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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: present · jam · hide · game · bass · tube · cap · racket

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. game — wild animals
  3. tube — a container
  4. game — a match
  5. bass — low music
  6. cap — of ice
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cap — a lid
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. present — a gift
  24. cap — a hat

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