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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 · field · bass · pass · nail · staff · season · rush

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. field — for sport
  6. staff — employees
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. field — farmland
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. staff — employees
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. season — in sport
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pass — a permit
  20. staff — a stick
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. field — a subject
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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