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

Word bank: toast · pitch · bank · straw · racket · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. toast — bread
  3. bank — of a river
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bank — for money
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bank — for money
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pitch — completely
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pitch — a sports field

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