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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 · bass · hide · staff · season · saw · court · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. court — of law
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. staff — a stick
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. staff — employees
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. staff — employees
  22. court — of a king
  23. season — of the year
  24. court — for sport

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