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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: jam · straw · object · bass · row · wave · bound · bay

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. bound — certain
  3. row — a line
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bass — low music
  6. object — an aim
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bound — obliged
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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