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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: mark · pitcher · bowl · straw · bass · jam · pass · rule

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rule — a law
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a trace
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bass — the fish
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — government
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bass — low music
  24. straw — dry grass

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