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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: wave · bass · spring · saw · band · jam · pit · ruler

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bass — low music
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. band — a music group
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. spring — of water
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spring — the season
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. band — a ring

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