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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — completely
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. scale — size or range
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rock — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. prune — to trim
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. nail — on a finger

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