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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
468
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: track · bat · dip · jam · charge · bass · stick · straw

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bat — the animal
  7. track — a song
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — electricity
  14. dip — to sink
  15. charge — a price
  16. bass — low music
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bass — the fish
  20. track — to keep track
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. track — a path

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