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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: track · branch · kick · bay · pitch · jam · kid · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. track — a song
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. kid — child
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. shower — to wash
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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