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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: bat · jam · bass · land · ruler · toast · track · temple

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. track — a path
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. track — to keep track
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bat — the animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. toast — bread
  15. bass — low music
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. track — a song
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the fish
  21. land — to come down
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. temple — a place of worship

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