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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
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: field · fine · jam · file · snap · pit · object · bass

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bass — the fish
  3. object — to protest
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pit — in a race
  6. file — a tool
  7. bass — low music
  8. file — a document
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. field — for sport
  11. object — a thing
  12. field — farmland
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. snap — to click
  21. file — a line of people
  22. field — a subject
  23. object — an aim
  24. pit — a hole

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