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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: jam · pit · wake · craft · suit · bass · can · land

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bass — low music
  4. land — a country
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. craft — a skill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. craft — boats
  14. can — a tin
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pit — in a race
  17. land — ground
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pit — a hole
  22. land — to come down
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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