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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: pitcher · bark · pit · lean · cue · chip · jam · mate

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lean — thin
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chip — to eat
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mate — a friend
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cue — a signal
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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