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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
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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: last · clip · stick · jam · bass · pit · can · fan

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bass — the fish
  8. last — final
  9. last — to go on
  10. clip — to cut
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bass — low music
  14. last — finally
  15. can — a tin
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. clip — a video
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. can — to be able to
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. can — a tin

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