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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: drill · land · jam · mouse · object · bass · chair · bank

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. object — to protest
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. land — ground
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. land — to come down
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — the fish
  17. object — an aim
  18. land — a country
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. object — a thing
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bass — low music

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