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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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Word bank
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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: snap · pound · rule · pitch · sharp · rock · mug · jam

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. rule — a law
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rule — government
  5. mug — a face
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mug — a cup
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — with an edge

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