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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. march — music
  4. mug — a cup
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pitch — completely
  11. hand — help
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. mug — a face
  16. march — the month
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. toast — bread
  21. march — the month
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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