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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 · straw · lie · roll · bank · bass · rest · stem

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lie — to recline
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rest — what's left
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. roll — a list
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bank — for money
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bass — low music
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lie — an untruth

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