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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: straw · jam · cue · bowl · suit · bass · wound · arm

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wound — an injury
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cue — a signal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. cue — for pool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. suit — in cards
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bass — low music
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — clothes

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