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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · pit · jam · rock · coach · scale · bass · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. bass — low music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. present — there
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rock — music
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pit — a hole
  19. scale — in music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rock — a stone
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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