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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 · game · sharp · bass · saw · shower · nail · bowl

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. game — a match
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bass — the fish
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — low music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. shower — to wash
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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