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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 · branch · current · tube · firm · bay · mate · bass

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. firm — decided
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — of water
  8. mate — a friend
  9. firm — a company
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. bass — the fish
  13. tube — a container
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mate — a partner
  19. branch — a division
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. tube — the underground
  22. firm — steady
  23. bass — low music
  24. mate — to breed

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