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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: pitch · rule · straw · wave · rush · jam · calf · bass

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rule — a law
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rush — hurry
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitch — completely
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — government
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bass — low music

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