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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: sharp · cap · pitcher · jam · cell · ball · pitch · mouse

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cell — in biology
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ball — a great time
  24. jam — a tight spot

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