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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: nail · jam · bank · bass · sharp · present · lie · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bass — the fish
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. sharp — clever
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — the time now
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — a gift
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fall — the season
  18. present — there
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bass — low music
  24. sharp — exactly

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