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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: straw · bay · staff · rush · jam · hide · snap · ball

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a great time
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rush — hurry
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rush — a thrill

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