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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: snap · track · bay · bass · jam · rest · nail · leaves

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. track — a song
  6. snap — to click
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bass — the fish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. track — a path
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — low music
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. rest — a break

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