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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: leaves · jam · fine · roll · hand · bore · bass · bay

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. fine — all right
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bass — low music
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. hand — help
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fine — high quality
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bore — to drill
  16. roll — a list
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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