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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: bank · jam · fine · shower · chair · net · bass · face

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. net — in sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bank — of a river
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bank — for money
  15. face — part of the head
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — to confront
  20. shower — rain
  21. bass — low music
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bass — the fish

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