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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: pop · pitcher · spring · sharp · swing · foot · trunk · jam

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. spring — a coil
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spring — of water
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pop — soda
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. spring — the season
  14. swing — to play on
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. sharp — clever
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. swing — music
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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