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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: pitcher · jam · pass · current · ball · ground

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. current — of water
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ground — the earth
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pass — a permit
  7. current — happening now
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ground — crushed
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. current — electric
  17. ball — a dance
  18. 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