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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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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: land · bay · pass · stick · snap · mouse · bark · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. land — to come down
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — to shout
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. snap — to click

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