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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 · ball · cell · racket · bank · cap · season · bass

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bank — of a river
  10. season — of the year
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. ball — a dance
  14. season — in sport
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bass — low music
  24. jam — in traffic

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