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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 · game · straw · pop · bowl · bay · rule · toast

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pop — soda
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. game — a match
  13. rule — government
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pop — to visit
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. pop — music
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rule — a law
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. jam — in traffic

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