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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. tube — the underground
  3. present — the time now
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. swing — music
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. tube — a container
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. swing — in golf
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pitch — completely
  15. swing — to play on
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. present — there

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