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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: hand · wind · bass · track · fan · can · jam · lie

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bass — low music
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. track — a song
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — in cards
  15. lie — to recline
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wind — moving air
  18. track — a path
  19. bass — the fish
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. jam — a tight spot

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