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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: foot · jam · pitch · mine · snap · track · bass · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mine — for digging
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bass — the fish
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bass — low music
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. track — a song
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. track — a path
  20. snap — to click
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. staff — employees

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