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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: chest · bass · press · ball · jam · board · firm · ruler

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. firm — decided
  3. press — to push
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ball — a dance
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. firm — a company
  14. press — a publisher
  15. board — a committee
  16. bass — low music
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. chest — of your body
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. board — to get on
  22. firm — steady
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. press — newspapers

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