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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: row · mate · game · ball · coach · toast · jam · bass

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ball — a great time
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bass — low music
  8. game — wild animals
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. game — a match
  14. ball — a dance
  15. toast — bread
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bass — the fish

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