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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: stand · jam · bear · last · swing · tube · nail · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. last — final
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bear — the animal
  6. last — to go on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. last — finally
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stand — to bear
  17. tube — the underground
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. swing — music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. tube — a container
  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