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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: kick · craft · pound · wake · mug · pit · jam · game

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mug — a face
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pit — in a race
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. craft — boats
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pound — a weight
  14. kick — in football
  15. mug — a cup
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. game — a match
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. craft — a skill
  24. game — a kind of play

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