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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: staff · cap · rash · bulb · jam · pitch · nail · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pop — music
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rash — hasty
  11. staff — employees
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. staff — employees
  17. pop — soda
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rash — a series
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pitch — completely
  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